Date
8-29-2025
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chair
Folashade Odedina
Keywords
Stigma, stigmatizing, stigma-based practice, mental health providers, knowledge, attitude, education, teenagers, adolescents, youths, evidence-based care
Disciplines
Nursing
Recommended Citation
Murray-Johnson, Fredrica, "Evaluating Mental Health Providers’ Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Stigma among Teenagers Aged 13 to 19 Years with Mental Illness" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7437.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7437
Abstract
Limited knowledge and poor attitudes among mental health providers contribute to stigma towards individuals with mental illness, adversely affecting treatment experience and outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an educational intervention in improving mental health providers’ knowledge and attitudes toward stigma-based practices. The clinical question stated: Among mental health providers, does an educational intervention, compared to standard practice, improve knowledge and attitudes of stigma and promote evidence-based care delivery to teenagers aged 13 to 19 with mental illness within six weeks? The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) was used as a framework for implementing this study. The quasi-experimental design was adopted with increased knowledge and positive attitude as the measurable outcomes. The study was conducted in the outpatient psychiatric clinic, utilizing a convenient sample of 10 participants. A pretest was administered, followed by the intervention, and then a post-test was administered to assess changes in knowledge and attitude. A knowledge questionnaire, the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers-15 tool, and a focus group discussion questionnaire were used in data collection. A paired t-test, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and thematic analysis were employed in data analysis. The results showed a statistically significant change in knowledge of stigma and stigma-based practices in mental health services. Participants also showed a positive attitude after the educational intervention. The study has implications for practice change, proving the efficacy of an anti-stigma educational intervention in transforming mental health providers’ knowledge and attitudes and improving access to mental health services among teenagers with psychiatric illness.
